Box closure means



Nov. 8, 1960 Filed Aug. 30, 1957 W. B. CRANE, JR

BOX CLOSURE MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

William B. Crane, Jr:

May/1, Lldc/ Fade]? diMarv/a Nov. 8, 1960 w. B. CRANE, JR 2,959,337

BOX CLOSURE MEANS Filed-Aug, so, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 R I a Y m m w m m m m r a 0 qiilll I I l Illlllfll a 5 W w W 0 5 \q 2 M United States Patent BOX CLOSURE MEANS William Bradford Crane, Jr., 412 E. 55th St., New York 22, N.Y.

Filed Aug. 30, 1957, Ser. No. 681,304

12 Claims. (Cl. 229-26) This invention relates to boxes, and more particularly to cardboard or chipboard boxes having movable side or end panels by which access is had to the box interiors.

In the past, cardboard or chipboard boxes have been proposed, having top, side or end closures constituted of a plurality of panels provided with interlocking means whereby, after being once closed and interlocked the panels normally remain in such position. Boxes of this type have been in general very satisfactory, particularly in the matter of maintaining the closure panels in their box-closing positions. In certain of these prior box constructions it has been relatively easy and simple to disengage :and open the closure panels; in other constructions difficulty is sometimes experienced in disengaging the panels and opening the box, particularly if this should be desired quickly.

Box constructions of this general type have also been proposed and utilized, wherein the closure panels were provided with handle means, such means for example comprising blanked-out portions of the panels foldable along hinge lines and adapted to be juxtaposed so that together they constitute a single handle structure. Any interlocking feature provided on closure panels has not been simplified by the addition of the handle means, and instead there has been the problem of effecting an adequate interlocking of the panels while still permitting easy and quick separation, when it is desired to open the box.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved box construction having closure panels provided with interlocking means, whereby such means is effective in maintaining the panels closed while at the same time being easily and quickly disengageable, when it is desired to open the box.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved box construction in accordance with the above, wherein handle means are also provided on the closure panels, without adversely affecting the opening function or complicating the structure or fabrication of the panels.

A feature of the invention resides in the provision of an improved box construction having interlocking closure panels, wherein release of the panels may be effected by simply rapping or pressing inward sharply against a portion of one of the closure panels.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of a novel panel and releasing structure in accordance with the foregoing, wherein the panels have handle means and the releasing portion of the one panel is disposed immediately below one of the said handle means.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings accompanying this specification, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts wherever possible in the several views, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of an improved box closure made in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a top, plan view of the closure of Fig. 1'.

Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the closure.

Fig. 4 is a vertical central section of the box closure.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail of the closure, showing the locking tongue thereof.

Referring first to Fig. 1 there is shown a container or box-like structure 10 which may have the usual bottom and side panels, two of the latter being shown and indicated by the numerals 11 and 12.

At its top, the box 10 has a pair of closure panels 16 and 17, each being substantially as large as one-half of the upper opening. Also, the box 10 has additional clo sure flaps 19 and 20 disposed under the panels 16, 17, such flaps also preferably having an area approximately equal to half of the opening of the box.

The panels 16, 17 are hingedly connected to opposite side panels of the box, including the panel 12, and the flaps 19, 20 are hingedly connected to the two remaining opposite side panels of the box, including the panel 11.

As shown in Fig. 3, the closure panel 16 is provided with an apertured tab 22 at the center of its free end 23, such tab having an elongate opening or slot 24 provided at one side with shoulders 25 constituting an interlocking means, as will be later brought out in greater details. By virtue of the provision of the shoulders 25, the slot 24 is narrower at its ends than at its center portion, as will be readily seen from the figure.

The remaining closure panel 17 is provided with a tongue 27 arranged to be received in the slot 24 of the tab 22, such tongue being dis-posed at the center of the free end 28 of the panel 17 and being hingedly connected thereto whereby it may be made to extend laterally downward, so as to occupy a depending position when the box is closed, as seen in Figs. 3 and 4.

The tongue 27 also has an interlocking means, comprising shoulder portions 30 as formed by notches 31 disposed at opposite sides of the tongue, adjacent the base thereof. The shoulders 30 of the tongue cooperate with portions of the tab 22 defining the narrowed ends of the slot 24 in such a manner that when the tongue 27 is extending laterally from the panel 17, that is, depending from the panel as seen in Fig. 4, and is extending downward through the slot 24 after being fully inserted therein, the shoulders 30 will engage portions of the tab 22 adjacent the ends of the slot in an interlocking manner, so as to prevent withdrawal of the tongue 27 from the slot. Thus, for such condition the closure panels 16 and 17 will be locked one to the other, and will be prevented from swinging open, thereby causing the box or container 10 to remain in a closed condition.

It will now be understood that prior to the closure panels 16 and 17 being locked in their closed positions, such panels may be brought to the closing positions by being swung downward and toward each other, the panel '16 first. During such closing movement the tongue 27 will be inserted in the slot 24, and as the closing movement is continued to the point where the panels 16 and 17 are in their nearest positions, the tongue 27 will be fully inserted in the slot 24.

By the present invention, the arrangement of the tab 22 and tongue 27 is such that when the tongue is held in a depending position and the closure panels 16 and 17 are allowed to swing upward a slight extent so that they are removed slightly from their nearest positions, the interlocking means above mentioned will become operative and prevent any relative separation of the panels. This is clearly shown in Fig. 4.

Further, by the present invention I provide novel means by which the tongue 27 is guided, or the position thereof controlled, thereby to maintain it in a depending position so as to effect the said interlock and securement of the panels 16, 17 one to the other. Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, I provide in the inner flaps 19 and 20 a pair of oppositely disposed notches 33, located in their free ends so as to be in alignment with each other when the flaps are swung closed. The notches 33 together constitute in effect a second slot for the reception of the tongue 27, as seen in Fig. 3 and when the closure panels 16, 17 are in their locked positions of Fig. 4, slightly removed irottl their nearest positions, the flapslt9, 2.0 will guide and position the tongue 27 and hold'it in a-lateralor depending position as shown.

Such position is effective in causing the shoulders 30 of the tongue to be interlocked with those portions of the tab 22 bordering the narrow ends of the slot 24. It will be understood that the narrowed base portion 35 of the tongue 27 will occupy the center, widened portion of the slot 24, being disposed between the two shoulders 25 thereof.

It should now be considered that the normal tendency for the tongue 27 is to swing upward. However, the ffiaps 1 20 will be held fairly flat and horizontal by virtue of their engagement with the undersides of the closure ;panels 16, 17. Also, the tongue 27 will be maintained in a depending position by virtue of its engagement with the "flaps 19, 20. Thus the relative positions of the parts by virtue of their natural tendency to straighten, in conjunction with the various restraints placed upon them, will be as shown in Fig. 4, this being the locking position wherein the panels 16, 17 are interlocked one with the other.

After the panels 16, 17 have been folded inward and downward, so asto cause complete insertion of the tongue 27 in the slot 24-, release of closing force from both the panels will result in their both starting to swing upward. When this occurs, the tongue 27 will be guided by the flaps 1?, 2t) and caused to bend to a greater extent with respect to the closure panel 17, thereby to shift the shoulders 30 of the tongue under the interlocking portions of the tab 22 at the ends of the slot 24. Thus an interlock is elfected before the tongue 27 has an opportunity to even partially leave the slot 24.

'In accordance with this invention, the organi-aztion as above set forth is so constituted that a very quick and effective release of the panels 16, 17 may be accomplished by a very simple and quick movement. It is only necessary to rap downward upon the panel 16 rather sharply, at the center of the free edge thereof, adjacent the tab 22. Such a sudden and sharp blow will cause both of the panels 16, 17 to momentarily become virtually perfectly horizontal whereby they occupy their nearest position.

The tongue 27 now, by virtue of its tendency to straighten will assume a more nearly horizontal position, whereupon the shoulders 38 of the tongue will disengage the interlocking portions of the tab 22 at the ends of the slot24. Upon this occurring, the natural tendency for the panel 17 to swing upward and straighten will manifest itself and such panel, upon now being released by disengagement of the tongue 27, will swing upward an appreciable amount, disengaging th etongue'27 from the slot 24. Thereupon, both of the panels 16, 17 will be free of each other, thereby enabling them to be swung upward, freeing the tabs 19, 2t and permitting the box to be fully opened.

The novel closure and interlocking means as provided by this invention is particularly adapted for use with integral handles which may be provided on the box structure. As shown in Fig. l, the closure panel 17 may have an integral U-shaped handle 37, and the closure panel 16 may have an integral U-sha-ped handle 38, such handles being arranged in side-by-side relation to constitute a single carrying means when the panels 16 and 17 are in their closed positions.

it will be readily understood from the foregoing that I have provided an extremely simple, yet reliable and effective means by which a cardboard or similar type of box may be easily and quickly closed and locked in closed position, the closure panels being adapted for use with integral carrying handles, such interlocking means being instantly and easily releasable by the simple act of rapping uponone ofthe closure panelsat a specified location.

4 Instructions as to the procedure for opening the box may, of course, bepr'inted at the appropriate spot.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim? 1. A box construction comprising a first movable panel having a slot; a second movable panel having a Hat, hingedly connected tongue extending angularly downward therefrom, said slot being longer than the tongue is wide and being wider at all points than the tongue is thick to enable the tongue at the widest portion thereof to loosely fit into the slot with clearance when the tongue makes an appreciable angle with the first panel, said panels being movable toward and away from each other, said angularly extending tongue being positioned on the second panel at a location such that it may be freely re ceived in the slot of the first panel when at the said angle and the panels are close together, said tongue and first panel adjacent the slot having interlocking means oper= able when the panels are removed slightly from their nearest positions to prevent removal of the tongue and separation of the panels, said interlocking means being disengage-able and said tongue being releasable from the slot when the panels are at their nearest positions and the tongue is in said downward angular position making the said angle with the first panel, the said interlocking means including back edges on the tongue, disposed below and engaging the undersurface of the said first panel when the interlocking means is operable with the panels removed slightly from their nearest positions; and means independent of the said first panel and engaged with a portion of the tongue which is spaced from the hinge connection thereof, holding the tongue in downwardly extending position.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which the panels are hinged to swing toward and away from each other, said panels being disposed virtually in a common plane when at their nearest positions.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which each of the said panels constitutes one-half of a side of a box, said panels being hinged to other opposite sides of the box, and said slot and tongue being disposed adjacent the free ends of the panels.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 in which there are handles carried by the free ends of the panels and adapted to be juxtaposed to each other at their bases and to constitute a single handle means.

5. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which-the tongue in hingedly connected to the second panel, and in which there are guide means separate from the panels,

engageable with the tongue, permitting the latter to swing closer to the plane of the second panel when the panels are at their nearest positions.

6. The invention asdefined in claim 1 in which there are handles pivotally connected to the panels, adapted for simultaneous engagement by the hand.

7. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which the slot has narrowed ends provided with parallel edges, and has aligned shoulders along one edge adjacent said narrowed ends, and in which the said back edges of the tongue are on the opposite sides of the tongue and adjacent its base, said edges and shoulders constituting a part of said interlocking means.

8. A box construction comprising a first movable panel having a slot; a second movable panel having a laterally extending tongue, said panels being movable toward and away from each other, said tongue being received in the slot of the first panel when the panels are close together, said tongue and first panel having interlocking means operable when the panels are removed slightly from their nearest positions to prevent removal of the tongue and separation of the panels, said interlocking means being disengageable and said tongue being releasable from the slot when the panels are at their nearest positions; guide means engageable with the tongue for holding the same in a laterally extending position with respect to the second panel at the time that the panels are removed slightly from their nearest positions, said guide means comprising hinged flaps disposed under the panels when the latter are at their nearest positions.

9. The invention as defined in claim 8, in which the said hinged flaps have notches constituting guides for the tongue.

10. A box construction comprising a first movable panel having a slot; a second movable panel having a laterally extending tongue, said panels being movable toward and away from each other, said tongue being received in the slot of the first panel when the panels are close together, said tongue and first panel having interlocking means operable when the panels are removed slightly from their nearest positions to prevent removal of the tongue and separation of the panels, said interlocking means being disengageable and said tongue being releasable from the slot when the panels are at their nearest positions, said panels being hinged to swing toward and away from each other, and being disposed virtually in a common plane when at their nearest positions; guide means comprising hinged flaps disposed under the panels when the latter are at their nearest positions, said guide means holding the tongue in a lateral position with respect to the second panel when the panels are removed slightly from their nearest positions, and permitting the tongue to swing toward the plane of the second panel when the panels are at their nearest positions, said second panel springing upward after the first panel has been forced downward to bring both panels into their nearest positions.

11. A box construction comprising a first movable panel having a slot; a second movable panel having a tongue extending angularly downward therefrom, said slot being longer than the tongue is wide and said panels being movable toward and away from each other, said tongue being freely received in the slot of the first panel when the panels are close together, said tongue and first panel having interlocking means operable when the panels are removed slightly from their nearest positions to prevent removal of the tongue and separation of the panels, said interlocking means being disengageable and said tongue being freely releasable from the slot when the panels are at their nearest positions and the tongue is in a downward angular position; and guide means separate from said panels, engageable with the tongue for holding the same in a downward laterally extending position with respect to the second panel at the time that the panels are removed slightly from their nearest positions.

12. A box construction comprising a first movable panel having a slot; a second movable panel having a tongue extending angularly downward therefrom, said slot being longer than the tongue is wide and said panel being movable toward and away from each other, said tongue being freely received in the slot of the first panel when the panels are close together said tongue and first panel having interlocking means operable when the panels are removed slightly from their nearest positions to prevent removal of the tongue and separation of the panels, said interlocking means being disengageable and said tongue being freely releasable from the slot when the panels are at their nearest positions and the tongue is in a downward angular position; and guide means separate from said panels, engageable with the tongue for bolding the same in a downward laterally extending position References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,670,036 Hirsch May 15, 1924 2,355,730 Inman Aug. 15, 1944 2,690,286 Dawson Sept. 28, 1954 2, 3 Fe et -T-.--.? b- 9 

